We are lucky Bob Carr was not appointed Indigenous Affairs Minister!

Gerry Georgatos

Former NSW premier, Bob Carr, autocratically selected by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, without it going to a vote of even the Cabinet, to fill the vacant Senate position meant Warren Mundine, who lobbied for the senatorial vacancy was overlooked - and who would have been the first ALP Aboriginal federal parliamentarian in the hundred year history of the party. The Prime Minister has publicly said that she values Mr Carr’s advice and that she has often consulted him on a range of issues.

Given some of the comments by Mr Carr on his personal blog relating to Indigenous issues many Indigenous leaders would be saying they are grateful Julia Gillard did not want him to fill the Indigenous Affairs portfolio - however there is more to this than meets the eye as to why and how Bob Carr secured the Foreign Ministry portfolio.

On Mr Carr's personal blog in a January 27 post, the day after the protest by people attending the Aboriginal Tent Embassy 40th anniversary celebrations which then resulted in protestors at the Lobby Restaurant, Mr Carr opened up with comments about the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

On Mr Carr’s personal blog – Thoughtlines with Bob Carr – he wrote, “I agree with Tony Abbott and think his remarks entirely sensible. The tent embassy in Canberra says nothing and should have been quietly packed up years ago.”

In reference to Aboriginal rights advocate Pat Eatock, Mr Carr posted, “Don’t look for logic. Prime Minister Gillard is targeted and some clown is shown brandishing her shoe yet she said and did nothing in respect of the tent (embassy). Suddenly, we are presented with a demand for ‘Aboriginal sovereignty’ – which can only mean separatism.”

Further in his January 27 post, in reference to the Lobby restaurant incident Mr Carr did not mince his words about whom he thought was at fault and wrote, “And of course the block-headed demonstration sets back reconciliation and would seal the defeat for Aboriginal recognition in the constitution if a referendum were pending.”

Mr Carr, who is being sold as an ‘intellectual giant’ wrote, “The ‘activists’ who run it (Tent Embassy) would be better off investing time in youth programs in indigenous communities. Every government in Australia is aware of its responsibilities to Aboriginal Australians. The debate is how you narrow the gap not whether you should and the debate is as serious within the Aboriginal community as between it and the white.”

Mr Carr took a number of shots at ‘Aboriginal sovereignty’ and said that nobody has defined it however Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre lawyer, Michael Mansell has produced detailed terms of references on Aboriginal sovereignty. Michael Anderson has also written volumes. Mr Carr was a supporter of Paul Keating’s ALP in watering down the intentions of the Mabo decision, which were further diminished by John Howard’s amendments 1998 – and which gave rise to the limitations that underwrite Native Title Tribunals.

In his post he praised author Peter Sutton, and referred to his book ‘Politics of Suffering’ and used this to impute that the word ‘Aboriginal’ should not be included in any government policy – imputing an argument for assimilation as the answer to equality.

Mr Carr has never hidden that he is a conservative thinker, pro-uranium mining, and in working from the top end of town down rather than from the bottom end up.

To those bloggers who posted a defence of the right of Aboriginal activists to walk over to the Lobby restaurant and to express their civil outrage, he replied (January 28), “Did the demonstration, the flag burning and the separatist rhetoric help the Aboriginal cause?”

On Feburary 27 the staunch Gillard supporter who has secured the government’s Foreign Minister posted, “If after Julia Gillard’s decisive victory in the Labor leadership ballot today there is a revival of white-anting against her, the whole party will explode with anger.”

How Mr Carr and Ms Gillard came to secure him the Foreign Ministry portfolio is another story, the truth has not been unfolded in the public domain, however it’s for another edition of The National Indigenous Times.

Keep on reading Indymedia, we'll soon post what we've sourced and written about why Warren Mundine was overlooked, how and why Bob Carr was parachuted, and for our Indymedia readers we will soon post what our sources have confirmed were the behind the scenes dealings and plotting, by the 'other faceless mob' who as if the elders of the party oversee things, and who got Arbib to stand down (he did not go willingly) and get Carr in (him being one of the 'other faceless mob') - only a select few of the Cabinet knew - and a good part of it was because they wanted Rudd to go (who made a fatal mistake in November over the UNESCO vote for Palestine's inclusion - and explains why Michael Danby was vehement towards Mr Rudd). It's all about power and vested interests.

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Comments

Not sure what the fuss is about, look at the alternative:

Indigenous leader and former President of the Australian Labor Party, Warren Mundine has labelled the impromptu protest "a disgrace"

"It was the worst thing I'd seen for many years."

...

Mr Mundine says the Tent Embassy no longer represents the greater Indigenous community.

"For every Aboriginal person it is a strong symbol of the struggle."

"For the mainstream aboriginal community it represented us - it hasn't done that for 20 years now. It's a bit of an irrelevant and you've got a motley crew of people out there who've now sort of hijacked the sacredness and the importance of the Tent Embassy."

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/01/27/3416790.htm

Mundine, Carr are the same, no alternative there. Mundine and Carr are like the brothers Grim, all about themselves. I think this article is about why Carr is there but I don't understand what Rudd did with Palestine, I thought he was pro-Israel.

I think it is a good article but need some explaining of how they made Arbib leave.

Carr carried on like a statesman of the party and when like that you are the real leaders, the faceless men. So Rudd was only a powerless pawn to get them back in power in 07 but when he pissed them off or got too big they cut him down to size and dispatched him - this is what they mean by not being a team player I think. The big thing of Ruddy was that he kept on saying no factions, no bossing from faction heads in the caucus and soon after he had real problems with the party hacks and 'statesmen'!!!

yes this all makes sense, just didn't make sense that all of a sudden bob carr would become a senator, had to be a longer term plan

Good work Gerry, politicians should have a good look at themselves but how do we get them to do that? and especially when their bible is Machiavelli's The Prince!

This article reminds me of a documentary "Thomson of Arnhem Land" which tells the story of an Australian anthropologist, photographer and journalist, Donald Thomson, and his lifelong struggle for Aboriginal rights. The documentary gives us an insight into the personality clashes and politics behind the assimilationist policies that aimed to deny Indigenous Australians their culture.

To watch the documentary online visit:
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/5173/

In the 1930s tensions between the government and the Indigenous peoples of Australia's north were on a knife-edge. Donald Thomson, an anthropologist, volunteered to go to Arnhem Land to make peace. For over two years, he lived with the Aboriginal people, forging strong bonds, learning and recording their way of life. His report to the government outlined a vision of land rights and other measures to protect a unique yet fragile culture - it was ignored. Ostracised by politicians and fellow academics, Thomson never gave up the struggle for Aboriginal rights. Now, his extraordinary photographs, field notes and artefacts are considered one of the most significant ethnographic collections in the world. h

we need a brother or sister in this position not someone who judges and doesn't know

good working in pushing the truth

a sick society, very sick

http://newmatilda.com/2012/03/08/smith-right-stand-assault-victims

Why he got it right in standing by the victims and not the ADF

bloody oath

politics is a dirty game and for careerists, they're all phonies and all those plodders for the Greens and the Coalition, Labor, whatever party, they delude themselves that they are supporting honourable people. Just about all politicians could give one iota about us, they are there for themselves, get in the way of their egos and they'll tear down their house, it's a deck of cards - all the same from Gillard right down to minion backbenchers and their hacks. The real good people don't get into government, they're don't have the psychopathic ego, you've got to be ruthless to get that far remember, think about that.

what's bob's view on the stolen wages of aboriginal workers? would he work twenty years or be in parliament if he were to lose 75% of his wages (his bloated bullshit wages of course)?

I wonder what Bob Carr would do to stop the sexual abuse of Children in their communities?I wonder what he would do to fix the Alcohol problem in Aboriginal communities?I wonder what he would do about the large number of indigenous children that don't go to school every day?I wonder what he could do to stop the crime rate amongst indigenous people rising?
Hang on maybe it's not up to Bob Carr or any other Minister, maybe it is up to the indigenous people themselves to sort themselves out and learn to live with respect who knows they might even get some back!

"Mr Carr, who is being sold as an ‘intellectual giant’ wrote, “The ‘activists’ who run it (Tent Embassy) would be better off investing time in youth programs in indigenous communities. Every government in Australia is aware of its responsibilities to Aboriginal Australians. The debate is how you narrow the gap not whether you should and the debate is as serious within the Aboriginal community as between it and the white.”I think Bob Carr is right your tent Embassy does fuck all except burn flags and go on protests without the full facts, then you look like fools protesting about something Tony Abbott never said.You should teach your children that they have to go to school,stay away from Alcohol,Stay off the streets at night and have some respect for your selves and stay away from crime then I think you will be doing a big service for your community.
You need to think about what Bob Carr has said instead of going on the defensive.A good start would be to own up to the short comings of the Aboriginal people instead of blaming the white man and ask your selves what can we do to fix our own problems

Who do you think you are GRant talking about people as if these problems are only theirs? You watch TV for your news not the real world. 80% of the NT communities do not even have alcohol, more white folk than black folk have alcohol problems and alcoholism, this is not the major problem for our people that is for yours, so where is the intervention into your cities and suburbs?

To stop the crime rate stop locking up our people for nothing offences and let us have our lives to make with, stop stealing our wages, our compensation, our justice, maybe you should read some of Gerry's articles, at least for a white fella he understand full well.

The crime is what is done to our people.

Maybe you should get some respect for other people if you want respect Grant.

Mate, Tony Abbott did say what he said and so did Bob Carr I read so they don't care about us.

Mate, I blame blinkered and defensive people like you, Grant you are a perfect example of someone on the defensive, shame but at least readers of this site can see what we have to face up against, the likes of you.

Old man Col

who'll protect carr from his senile like gaffes, these powerbrokers and egos just can't let go, had to be there did he when he isn't even up to it